The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-11-19

]
perhaps not greatly inferior 20 ho,
Yankee rivals, but there all equality
| ended.
On short stumpy lowermast
(surmounted by long elumsily
stayed topmast with rake forward,
was set very dirty looking sail
The gatf had been heightened by
Fishing" on what appeared to be a
piece OF an oar handle. A jib and
flying jib, both wretchedly cut, and
the two, combined, containing less
canvas than the flying jib OF the
Vandalia boat, and about the same
burnt pea soup color as the main.
sail, completed her outfit.
So much for the appearance OF the
craft had proposed (beiore seeing
herr to put my money on. For the
rest | would simply mention that,
from the tenderness she evinced in
the harbor, heeling over to her lee
gunwale, it was evident TO any yachts
man that she was underballasted,
and would never carry her canvas in
the breeze then blowing outside. |
felt certain that, in sea way, for
every foot of fore reaching there
would be II corresponding foot of lee
way. After her preliminary spin in
the harbor | felt certain that this
grave defect would be noticed, and
more water ballast taken in, but not
SO. The gallant sailors of IL. NJ. S.
Conquest appeared to think it the
correct thing for their cutter to sail
on her side with the lee rail under
water in moderate breeze with
smooth water aud, under those CON
ditions, TO send her outside to work
to windward some miles in II nasty
chopping sea.
The starting gun fired and away
went the yachts--5 or 6 in number
in good style. The Conquest cutter
vainly endeavored to set her gaff top
sail. The sheet got foul. The halyard
blocks appeared not to work, the I'M
fortunate gaif tOpsail meanwhile flap
ping painfully. The cutter missed
stays once, and finally, to my great
relief, got away.
pitted the poor fellows Who sailed
her. TO yachtsman, there is moth
ing more aggravating than an at
tempted beat to windward in a
craft under ballast, that will not
stand up to her canvas.
Later on | heard n shout of "The
Conquest's cutter winningp I'M
possible, | calculated, but sure
enough there was the pea soup
mainsail, now close reefed heading
in to the passage, no other yachts
being in sight.
| at once comprehended the situa-
ton. She had turned back, unable
for want of ballast to face the squally
weather outside, and proceeded,
crestfallen, to her moorings near Her
Majesty's ship-leaving it to some
half dozen smaller and less power
full boats to go round the course.
feel bad about this business, Mr..
Editor, so will shut up. The Con-
quests people ought never to have
entered their cutter for the Regatta
if it could not be done respectfully.
But why should this difference exist?
Are we less nautical, less true prac-
teal sailors, possessing less esprit de
corps than our American cousins?
Alas ] can only suppose that the
modern British officer is too big
swell to occupy himself with such
matters, and were he TO be question
ed the response would doubtless be
about as follows: ''Why damme the
sail maker has charge of all those
kind of things don't you know"
Yours. YACHTMAN.
P. S.-Since writing above | have
heard of q subsequent sailing race,
in which a Conquest boat, sailed by
Captain Oxley himself, came in
winner. This is cheering and goes
to shew that there is n still some of the
good old sort left in our navy.